The Airmen were the first U.S. squad of African-American pilots, created by the Army Air Corps in 1941. They were nicknamed the "Red Tails" thanks to distinctive paint on the tailfins of their aircraft.

"I've been wanting to do 'Red Tails' for 20 years, and we've finally got the means to showcase the skill of the Tuskegee pilots," Lucas said in a statement. "We're working on techniques which will give us the first true look at the aerial dogfighting of the era."